Choong-Shik Yoo is the CDAC Academic Partner from Washington State University. He is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and in the internationally recognized WSU Institute for Shock Physics. Prior to his arrival at WSU, he worked for nearly 20 years at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where he developed and led a large multi-disciplinary research group in High Pressure Physics. Professor Yoo received his Ph.D in Physical Chemistry in 1986 from UCLA. His research expertise is on novel materials research under extreme environments of pressure, temperature, and chemical composition. His work has utilized static and dynamic high-pressure capabilities coupled with the state-of-the-art laser spectroscopic methods and x-ray diffraction and spectroscopy at the national synchrotron facilities. Dr. Yoo’s current research studies focus on energetic materials and processes, as well as developments of novel high energy density materials, reactive materials, wear-resistive super hard materials, and novel functional nanocomposites and intermetallics. Professor Yoo twice earned the DOE awards (1995 and 2006), for Excellence in Weapons Materials Research. He currently serves as the US Regional Editor for High Pressure Researchand is a member of American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, American Geophysics Union, Materials Research Society, and Three Materials Society.